SHC seeks comments of health officials

Karachi
The Sindh High Court issued notices to the provincial chief secretary, health secretary and the hepatitis prevention and control programme manager for awarding the tender to buy hepatitis B and C vaccines at exorbitant prices.
Petitioner Javed Iqbal Burki alleged the provincial government had awarded the tender for 2015 to private multinational companies at the rate of Rs5,525 per vial whereas local companies offered the lowest bid as low as Rs1,900.
The petitioner's counsel, Haider Imam Rizvi, claimed the vaccine was purchased from public funds at almost three times the value of lower costing alternatives through a distributor.
The health officials, he alleged, were acting in collusion with pharmaceutical companies. There was no explanation why the tenders were awarded to these companies at unreasonable prices, he believed.
He added that if other companies were disqualified then there should have been another tender and the vaccines should not have been purchased at the exorbitant price.
Burki challenged the entire process of awarding the tender, contending that the local companies were manufacturing such drugs much cheaper.
After hearing the preliminary arguments, the SHC division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi issued pre-admission notices to the respondents and called their comments. The court also directed the petitioner's counsel to prove if the petition was admissible.

Detention cases
The court also issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, Sindh police chief, Rangers director-general on a petition against the illegal detention of citizens by law enforcement agencies.
The petitioners claim law enforcement personnel have arrested Kamran, Abdul Jabbar, Faraz Baloch, Yasir Ali, Farazul Haq, Mohammad Mohsin and Sohail Sheikh in raids in Lyari, Surjani Town, Landhi, P&T Colony and Gizri and their whereabouts are unknown. They claimed the police were not assisting them and should be ordered to bring the detained men to court or release them if they were not wanted in any case.

Gas officials
The court also set aside the interior ministry’s order blocking some Sui Southern Gas Company officials, facing corruption cases, to travel abroad. Yousuf J Ansari, Zuhair Siddiqui and Azim Iqbal had challenged the placement of their names in the exit-control list on the recommendation of National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
They claimed they were avoiding the trial but NAB still sent a letter to the interior ministry without any justification.